fitnesstasha Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Hey ! Well IELTS booked ! 1st one lol , hubby has to score 8 in al components , he is really worried about it we are going in on his trade as electrician . Anyone else been in this situation ? Needed an 8? Is there hope ?!! Lol many thanks xxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjbchris Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 (edited) Me..... I took mine 3 times.. I did the academic and got a 7.5 in one unit (reading), so I thought general must be easier and did the general, but again got a 7.5 in reading.. Then I PRACTICED using all the online resources I could find for reading, and that 7.5 went up to a 9. It was the true/false/not given answers I was struggling with.... I was interpreting the document and not reading at face value to look for statements. So the key is Practice!! Chris Edited February 5, 2013 by cjbchris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeegieDave Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 All 8's is definitely possible! I think IELTS is naturally easier for some people who perhaps have a better ability at grammar, spelling and writing. I often hear of tradesmen who haven't had to write since school often find it tricky. My advice to anyone would be to study hard using the official IELTS revision papers. Perhaps spend a couple of hours after work each night revising. You can sit it as many times as possible although understandably you will be wanting to pass fist time to progress with your visa application. If you search for 'IELTS' in the search bar at the top right side of your screen there is lots of information on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fitnesstasha Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 Wow thanks so much for ur prompt reply , we just can't go Any further unless this exam is finished . My hub retrained as electrician 4 years ago so isn't a stranger to the exam process , with him it's just confidence x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelbournePhom Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Hey ! Well IELTS booked ! 1st one lol , hubby has to score 8 in al components , he is really worried about it we are going in on his trade as electrician . Anyone else been in this situation ? Needed an 8? Is there hope ?!! Lol many thanks xxxx Get hold of as much practice material as you can and do each section so you know what to expect. Getting the hang of the Yes/No format in the reading takes some practice I found. For example, when I did the writing section the first time in practice I wrote about 30 words too little, which would be a big mistake in the real thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest79615 Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 yes there is hope! dont panic too much about it but according to other posters here it pays to prepare, online tests/books. If he is english and is used to exam conditions/questions he should get 8's easily enough, however it is extra expense on top of everything else if you need to retake it so best doing everything you can to increase your chances, there is other threads on here that indicate specific books/websites to use or someone else will be along to advise on that. However i personally feel that some people build it up to be something its not and people end up doing worse just due to pure nerves and anxiety after hearing some horror stories! It is more that possible to get 8's, do some homework beforehand and dont expect the worst! Its a good fair test and not designed to catch you out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjbchris Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 A couple of the IELTS practice sites I used (along with the IELTS official site).. with links to others http://www.examenglish.com/IELTS/cbIELTS_reading.htm http://www.esolcourses.com/revision/ielts.html Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fitnesstasha Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 I will def look at those links ... Thank u !! How many times did u all take it and what were your scores if u don't mind me asking ? Chris black ... Hope we can get away with 3! X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth 666 Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Like most people have said a bit of preparation really helps. I bought the IELTS practice book with the CD when I booked my test. Just getting the hang of the format eased my mind on what to expect. I would advise though that you do the practicing as close to exam conditions as possible. Try to stick to the time limits and clear everyone out of the house for peace and quiet. As Lorna quite rightly points out, doing re-tests is costly and time consuming. A bit of extra cost up front could save you in the long run. The only other thing I'd say is try not to let yourself get distracted or let your mind wander during the listening test. It's easily done, I know from personal experience, and all of a sudden there's a moment of panic as you try to catch up. I just took a stab in the dark at the one I missed and carried on. Best of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjbchris Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Good advice there from Gbuss.. and others in terms of practice.... I took it 3 times, My scores are in my signature, with a 9, 7.5, 8.5, 9 missing for my first general... so I was pretty consistent in the others (General and academic)... I took them Nov Academic, Dec & Jan general... I guess I was just too confident at the first 2 attempts.. "sure I speak English, how hard can it be"... bit mistake!!! So wounds licked and 3 fees paid, I got there. Chris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest79615 Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 i took it just the once and got 7.5 and 9's, i got worse score for the speaking, i didnt know what to say...he asked me to tell him about something that happened to me that was funny, who was there and why it was funny..i couldnt think of what to say that wasnt too embarassing... then when i thought of something i started laughing while telling him as i remembered the scenario and therefore dont think i pronounced evrything as i should lol..he didnt even laugh just stared at me which made it more uncomfortable and made me laugh more lol ..other than that we spoke about things i was interested in like my dog and my job so that was easy..he also asked how i found it learning another language and why did i need to learn another language, i didnt have a long answer for that as i only speak english!.. I will def look at those links ... Thank u !! How many times did u all take it and what were your scores if u don't mind me asking ? Chris black ... Hope we can get away with 3! X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth 666 Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 I'm surprised as a native speaker and with top marks everywhere else, that you got 7.5 in your speaking Lorna. Sounds like your examiner was a bit of a hard ass. If you're unhappy with it you could probably ask for it to be reviewed. They record the test for that reason. I've seen cases on here reviewed where the examiner didn't even speak English that well and that made the tests harder, as you'd imagine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest79615 Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 wow an examiner not speaking english!! mines was a proper bbc voice over sounding guy! I never thought about getting my score reviewed, i just assumed i must be crap at speaking and actually felt down on myself over it for couple of weeks after, cant even speak my own language properly lol but yeah your right, bit strange i got high marks everywhere else..also i have a scottish accent but took the test in Devon, maybe accents can make a difference..i know if i took it again i wouldnt laugh!..i dont know but i got the score i needed overall anyway.. I'm surprised as a native speaker and with top marks everywhere else, that you got 7.5 in your speaking Lorna. Sounds like your examiner was a bit of a hard ass. If you're unhappy with it you could probably ask for it to be reviewed. They record the test for that reason. I've seen cases on here reviewed where the examiner didn't even speak English that well and that made the tests harder, as you'd imagine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floorman Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Hi I resat my IELTS for the fourth time on sat (have missed out by 0.5 twice now!!!) and fingers crossed ive managed to get all 8's.I agree with every one else who's commented that preperation is key.The first time i did it i was fairly confident i'd pass as im a native Englishman...how wrong was i ?? i got 6.5,6.5,7 and 8.Since then i have studied using online examples and more frequently enlisted an IELTS tutor( a previous examiner!!). It is hard if your not used to studying (im a floorlayer by trade and havent studied since leaving school!!) but tell him to keep going and not give up...it'll be worth it in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candygirl Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 I also agree with everyone else re practice. OH got all 8's but only scored 7.5 on the writing. He practiced everyday for two weeks and then managed to get all 9's second time round. As well as the practice books, I would google "ielts practice material" and also do those tests for more practice. OH is also a tradie and had not taken any exams since his O'Levels over 20 years previously. Wishing your husband the best of Luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butros Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I have booked mine for the 23rd of Feb and I need to get at least a 7 in each band. I wrote twice before and reading is my nemesis because the last time I wrote on the 1st of Dec 2012 I got these scores.( 7;6;8;7.5). Any help will be appreciated. Thank you in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medicus Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I didn't find it hard at all. Got an 8.5 overall score and a 9 in speaking and listening. General IELTS, 1st attempt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattybe Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 (edited) Its all about practice and getting used to the test format. I'm glad I didn't turn up oblivious to the test format. Its stressful enough being herded from room to room and having fingerprints/photos taken without not having a clue what the test is like. The cambridge IELTs books are fantastic and replicate what you will get. Sit down with a brew and a timer, do numerous reading and listening tests under your own "exam conditions". keep doing and marking it until you easily score and 8. With the writing, practice and count your words to make sure you meet the word count but don't go drastically over. Look at some writing examples on the net and there are some key grammar and vocab tips. Speaking, just go in and speak as much as you can in a clear manner trying to throw in vocab that only a fluent user would use. Don't be embarrassed about sounding like an idiot, they are there to judge your speaking skills not your cool points. I got asked some really queer questions, like what was the most exciting thing in your life, felt a bit of a goon but just made something up and elaborated. Forgot to add, I do have a fair few test papers electronically. If you want them, pm me. Edited February 9, 2013 by mattybe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anjuna1 Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Hi there, it took me 4 attempts! Sat the academic and got 7.5 in the reading then sat the general and kept getting 7.5 in listening of all things!! Practice is definitely key. :biggrin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyba Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 (edited) I'm doing the same, I'm a spark in Bristol and I'm doing my IELTS, I'm hoping I can get in without using my post NVQ 3 experience because I hit 60 points without it other wise I'll be waiting a while, I retrained 4 years ago also but obviously I started 4 years ago not completed 4 years ago. If you haven't already booked it I'd call bath uni rather than the centre in Bristol, I rang them and the woman on the phone couldn't speak English and was confused as to why I would want to do the test, I saw this as a bad sign and called bath and the guy was extremely helpful and told me that for English speakers its all about preparation and getting ready for the exams and how they are set out. so noticed a lot of people saying about the academic test, I have been told that for a spark you only need the general but I'm practicing with the academic to get used to reading more complicated articles to ensure I am properly prepared. Also I am going to have 2 hrs with a tutor to ensure I am ready, I'd rather spend £40 on a tutor than £140 on the test twice Edited February 9, 2013 by Skyba 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsgas Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I'm on a similar boat, i require all eights. The 'Dominic Cole' and 'Ielts Simon' websites are very useful. The 'Dominic Cole' website is excellent for the writing test task 2(General), and the 'Ielts Simon' website is very helpful with task 1 of the writing test (General). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del70 Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Hi, We're in the same position - we need the 20 points ........ My husband took the test last Saturday, and we'll get the result on Friday. Waiting nervously......!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest79615 Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 i agree, i was the same but people get upset if you say that on here, you seem to have got away with it I didn't find it hard at all. Got an 8.5 overall score and a 9 in speaking and listening. General IELTS, 1st attempt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrussell Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 spend a couple of hours after work each night revising Under test conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candygirl Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Under test conditions. I agree with Wrussell. You need to practice, but it must be done within the time restraints. You also have to bear in mind that on the day you will be nervous as well. Good Luck Everyone x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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